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Military summer camps on your schedule?
Filed under: Places To Go
There were more than a few moments over the winter when I dreamed of carting my kids off to summer camp. Any kind of camp would be great, but perhaps a military sort of camp that would whip them into shape and lend them some discipline sounded even better. The blissful weeks I would spend without the constant bickering and demands of the older two kids were images that sometimes kept me going through the long, dark days of winter. Little did I know that such a place actually exists in the summers. Yes, that's right, The Freedom Alliance Military Leadership Academy meets for one week in June and July.
Kids at these camps learn discipline and military values such as respect, courage and team work. It all sounds good on paper but I must admit that I won't be signing up my kids. For starters they are too young for the minimum age requirement of 15. Secondly, the camp was co-founded by Oliver North, a man who I feel does not exemplify the sort of values I want my children to emulate. I also believe that my kids would benefit far more from a summer of sunshine and soccer games than field trips to military bases and talks of weapons. What about you?
Kids at these camps learn discipline and military values such as respect, courage and team work. It all sounds good on paper but I must admit that I won't be signing up my kids. For starters they are too young for the minimum age requirement of 15. Secondly, the camp was co-founded by Oliver North, a man who I feel does not exemplify the sort of values I want my children to emulate. I also believe that my kids would benefit far more from a summer of sunshine and soccer games than field trips to military bases and talks of weapons. What about you?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-15-2007 @ 5:44PM
Sandyone said...My kids are too young for this camp, too, but I have some incredible experiences from my military training. I didn't get mine until college, but *never* have I had my feet to the fire in such a way as I did during Infantry training. You learn what you're made of in a much more definitive way than any sports I ever played.
If the camp is any good, the kids will also learn about *why* the military is so important. I know it's distasteful to some. It always has been. We are a very fortunate people to have had ancestors who also understood that, no matter how distasteful, fighting is sometimes necessary.
There are ideals behind the weapons and the wars. It's much deeper than the Macho Ooo-Rah! stuff that stereotypes we see in movies, tv and advertisements. Military history teaches important lessons about the military, but also about human beings.
Oh, and the obstacle course!!! Those are simply too much fun. The CS gas chamber is not to be missed, either! (though I don't think they'd subject minors to that)
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5-15-2007 @ 6:19PM
Jenn said...I was in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets when I was a teenager, and from the age of 13 till I was 18, I went away to cadet camp for 6 - 8 weeks every summer. It was fantastic, I learned a tonne, I made fantastic friends and I had a whole lot of fun. On top of that I learned valuable skills, discipline, and felt like I accomplished things over the summer.
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5-16-2007 @ 7:31AM
SM said...I was in JROTC all through high school. It helped me learn leadership and self-reliance. And it is not--I repeat--it is NOT a recruiting tool for the military. Our army instructors encouraged us to go on to college or vocational school. They were actually protective of us when the recruiters did come a knockin'.
I was a left-leaning pacifist type then and I'm still one today. JROTC didn't change my views. But it gave me the confidence to express them clearly and with conviction.
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5-16-2007 @ 1:51PM
Jessica said...My younger brother joined the military out of high school and the results have been fantastic. it isn't teaching only about killing people. The military teaches respect, accountability, teamwork, determination and perseverence. It teaches rules and frameworks; standing tall and fighting for what you believe in.
My brother is an unbelievably mature young man. He is an exceptional leader and is exceptionally proud of the achievements he has made. As am I.
I would certainly send a child of mine to a military summer camp, especially if he/she were in need of some structure.
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5-16-2007 @ 2:53PM
Jason said...Fair points about the military, but this camp is not the military. Instead it was founded by someone who was very proud of violating the constitution. Thanks, but no thanks
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